First discovered by NetworkWorld.com, the prototype is visibly thicker than the iPad model that launched in 2010 — likely due to tech advancements made within that holding time. Although a home button also doesn't appear on the tablet, Apple's logo is emblazoned on the back.

In a deposition from December 2011, Jonathan Ive — senior VP of industrial design at Apple — was asked by Samsung if he had previously seen an iPad prototype referred to as "035." [Check out the gallery above for the mockup images].

"My recollection of first seeing it is very hazy, but it was, I'm guessing, sometime between 2002 and 2004," he said. "I remember seeing this and perhaps models similar to this when we were first exploring tablet designs that ultimately became the iPad."

Ive was asked more questions about the prototype, such as whether an internal or third-party group made the prototype, but he said he couldn't recall specifics.

"I actually don't know which model shop made this, but I recognize this as a model that was produced during our exploration," he added.

"I’ll tell you a secret — it began with the tablet," he told attendees. "I had this idea about having a glass display, a multitouch display you could type on with your fingers. I asked our people about it. And six months later, they came back with this amazing display. And I gave it to one of our really brilliant UI guys. He got [rubber band] scrolling working and some other things, and I thought, ‘my God, we can build a phone with this!’ So we put the tablet aside, and we went to work on the iPhone."

What do you think of the early photos? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

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